Narratives of Reform on Twitter: Political Communication during Pakistan’s 27th Constitutional Amendment

Abstract

The 27th Constitutional Amendment of Pakistan represents a significant moment of political and institutional transformation, provoking intense public debate over governance, legitimacy, and democratic accountability. In a highly polarized and mediatized political environment, Twitter (X) emerged as a central platform where political actors, media organizations, and citizens actively constructed, circulated, and contested narratives surrounding the amendment. This study examines how political communication on Twitter shaped competing interpretations of reform during the pre-amendment, during-amendment, and post-amendment phases. Employing a qualitative research design, the study analyzes a one-month corpus of tweets, retweets, quote tweets, and replies using thematic analysis, framing analysis, and critical discourse analysis. Grounded in Framing Theory, Narrative Theory, Political Communication Theory, and Agenda-Setting Theory, the research explores five key dimensions: narrative construction, framing strategies, temporal dynamics, sentiment and emotional tone, and actor influence and engagement. Findings reveal the dominance of two polarized narratives: a reformist discourse promoted by government actors emphasizing democratic consolidation and institutional strengthening, and a counter-narrative advanced by opposition actors framing the amendment as a threat to constitutional balance and democratic norms. Media accounts largely amplified conflict-oriented frames, while citizens actively engaged in reinforcing or challenging elite narratives. The study demonstrates that Twitter functions not only as a channel of information dissemination but also as a site of legitimacy construction and political contestation. By highlighting the role of digital platforms in shaping perceptions of constitutional reform, this research contributes to broader debates on political communication, mediatization, and democratic governance in transitional democracies.

Keywords: Political Communication, Twitter (X), Constitutional Amendment, Narrative Construction, Framing Analysis, Digital Politics, Democratic Legitimacy, Pakistan